Strengthening the nursing workforce

Essential for excellence in sexual and reproductive health services 

Sarah Harwood, Nurse Practitioner Candidate, Sexual Health Victoria and Sam Read, Head of Education Services, Sexual Health Victoria 

---

The newly re-elected Labor government has made a $500-million funding promise for women's health. This means that the delivery of sexual and reproductive health care in Australia is set to transform. But is the nursing workforce ready for this change? New opportunities are emerging for nurses and midwives to expand their skills in this crucial area of health care. 

At Sexual Health Victoria, we hear firsthand from clients every day about the numerous challenges and barriers they face when trying to access affordable sexual and reproductive health care. These challenges include long waiting times, limited availability of services, and high costs, and they affect many Australians across the country, particularly in underserved or remote areas. However, following the Senate inquiry into 'Ending the Postcode Lottery: Addressing Barriers to Sexual, Maternity, and Reproductive Healthcare in Australia,’ there is fresh optimism.¹ The newly re-elected Labor government recently announced a multimillion dollar investment in a Women’s Health Package. This includes funding for contraception, menopause services and enhanced access to care for those experiencing menstrual health issues and pelvic pain.² This represents a significant milestone, bringing us nearer to guaranteeing that all Australians can obtain the sexual and reproductive health care they require, no matter their location. 

However, the question we need to answer is: Is the nursing workforce educated, competent, and ready?  

Currently, nurses, nurse practitioners, and midwives make up over 54% of the health workforce in Australia,³ giving us a unique and valuable opportunity to make a significant impact. Recognising this potential, APNA and nine other peak nursing and midwifery bodies in Australia have come together to advocate for seven key health reforms, all aiming to directly enhance access to essential healthcare services. These reforms, which include implementing a strategy to support education and clinical training placements for nurses and midwives, have the potential to transform the way sexual and reproductive health care is delivered in Australia.3 

To achieve impactful and sustainable reform, we must ensure that nurses and midwives can operate at the highest level of their professional capacity. To accomplish this, they should have access to high-quality clinical education informed by evidence-based practice. A recent review of Australian university courses found that there is a current lack of early training opportunities for nurses and midwives in sexual and reproductive health care.⁴ An increase in early training opportunities is critical to ensure nurses and midwives have the necessary tools, training, and resources to offer optimal patient care, especially when it comes to working with people living in regional, rural and remote communities where access to sexual and reproductive health care is limited.  

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, Sexual Health Victoria has seen a significant increase in nurses and midwives seeking to expand their skills, knowledge, and confidence in the provision of sexual and reproductive health care. This surge in interest reflects a genuine desire from within the workforce to enhance their understanding and capabilities in this crucial area of health care. A substantial proportion of the healthcare professionals attending our training courses come from primary health care settings, further emphasising the growing need for sexual and reproductive health education and expertise for primary healthcare clinicians. 

The Family Planning Alliance Australia (FPAA), in collaboration with the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP), has recently received government funding to provide scholarship-supported training to health practitioners in long-acting reversible contraception (LARC) methods. FPAA organisations across Australia are equipped to educate nurses and midwives in this skill to increase access to contraception methods that are safe, well-evidenced and part of essential health care for women, girls and gender-diverse people.  

As we continue to navigate these challenges and opportunities, the role of nurses and midwives will be pivotal in ensuring that all Australians have access to the sexual and reproductive health care they deserve. With the right support and resources, we can make a real difference. 

 

Further Information

If you would like more information about Sexual Health Victoria or our clinical education offerings, please visit shvic.org.au. If you are from outside Victoria, please visit Family Planning Alliance Australia (FPAA) to find your local Family Planning Organisation. The FPAA and other family planning organisation websites will soon announce more details about how to access the newly announced scholarship-supported training in the provision of LARC.  

 

Author bios 

 

Sarah Harwood (she/her) is a Nurse Practitioner Candidate at Sexual Health Victoria (SHV). She has worked across SHV's clinical education unit and our clinical services and delivers nurse-led cervical screening clinics in-person and through telehealth. Sarah has a primary health care background with post-graduate certificates in both nursing and adult education. 

 

Sam Read (she/her) is the Head of Education Services at SHV. Sam is a registered nurse and has over 25 years of experience working in relationships and sexuality education and sexual health. Sam is passionate about supporting all people to access the highest quality information and support so they can make choices that are right for them. She is also passionate about community leadership and has recently become a Williamson Fellow through Leadership Victoria.   

 

 

 

References 

1. Parliament of Australia, ‘Ending the postcode lottery: Addressing barriers to sexual, maternity and reproductive healthcare in Australia’, Parliament of Australia website, May 2023, accessed 7 April 2025.  

2. Department of Health and Aged Care, ‘Minister for Health and Aged Care – press conference – 9 February 2025’, Department of Health and Aged Care website, 9 February 2025, accessed 7 April 2025. 

3. APNA, ‘Nurses are the solution election campaign’, APNA website, 14 March 2025, accessed 7 April 2025.  

4. Y Shi, E Fooladi, JA Dean and S James, ‘Sexual and reproductive health content in Australian pre-registration nursing and midwifery programs: a review of curricula’, Nurse Educ Pract, 2025, 83:104267, doi:10.1016/j.nepr.2025.104267.